Analysis by: Roland Marco Dela Paz
ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Pushbot (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet

This worm arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It modifies registry entries to disable the Windows Firewall settings. This action allows this malware to perform its routines without being deteted by the Windows Firewall.

It connects to a website to send and receive information.

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: Varies
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 28 Feb 2012
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Compromises system security, Terminates processes

Arrival Details

This worm arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Installation

This worm drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Windows%\aadrive32.exe

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows or C:\WINNT.)

Autostart Technique

This worm adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
Microsoft Driver Setup = "%Windows%\aadrive32.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Microsoft Driver Setup = "%Windows%\aadrive32.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm modifies the following registry entries to disable the Windows Firewall settings:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
EnableFirewall = 0

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

Backdoor Routine

This worm connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}aa.ishtiben.com

Process Termination

This worm terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • 123.COM
  • 123.EXE
  • 360HOTFIX.EXE
  • 360RPT.EXE
  • 360SAFE.EXE
  • 360TRAY.EXE
  • A2GUARD.EXE
  • A2HIJACKFREE.EXE
  • A2HIJACKFREESETUP.EXE
  • A2SCAN.EXE
  • A2SERVICE.EXE
  • A2START.EXE
  • ABREGMON.EXE
  • ACAAS.EXE
  • ACAEGMGR.EXE
  • ACAIS.EXE
  • ACALS.EXE
  • ACS.EXE
  • AFMAIN.EXE
  • AHNSDSV.EXE
  • ALERTMAN.EXE
  • ALMON.EXE
  • ALSVC.EXE
  • APM.EXE
  • APORTS.EXE
  • APT.EXE
  • APVXDWIN.EXE
  • ARCABIT.CORE.CONFIGURATOR2.EXE
  • ARCABIT.CORE.LOGGINGSERVICE.EXE
  • ARCACHECK.EXE
  • ARCAVIR.EXE
  • ASHDISP.EXE
  • ASHMAISV.EXE
  • ASHSERV.EXE
  • ASHWEBSV.EXE
  • ASVIEWER.EXE
  • ASWCLNR.EXE
  • ASWUPDSV.EXE
  • ATF-CLEANER.EXE
  • AUTORUNS.EXE
  • AVCENTER.EXE
  • AVENGER.EXE
  • AVENGINE.EXE
  • AVGAMSVR.EXE
  • AVGARKT.EXE
  • AVGAS.EXE
  • AVGEMC.EXE
  • AVGNT.EXE
  • AVGSCANX.EXE
  • AVGUARD.EXE
  • AVGUI.EXE
  • AVGUPD.EXE
  • AVGUPSVC.EXE
  • AVGWDSVC.EXE
  • AVINSTALL.EXE
  • AVIRARKD.EXE
  • AVKPROXY.EXE
  • AVKSERVICE.EXE
  • AVKTRAY.EXE
  • AVKTUNERSERVICE.EXE
  • AVKWCTL.EXE
  • AVMENU.EXE
  • AVZ.EXE
  • AYAGENT.AYE
  • AYSERVICENT.AYE
  • BC5CA6A.EXE
  • BDAGENT.EXE
  • BDSS.EXE
  • BOOTSAFE.EXE
  • BOXMOD.EXE
  • BUSCAREG.EXE
  • CAFW.EXE
  • CAGLOBALLIGHT.EXE
  • CAPFASEM.EXE
  • CAPFUPGRADE.EXE
  • CATCHME.EXE
  • CATEYE.EXE
  • CAVASM.EXE
  • CCENTER.EXE
  • CCLEANER.EXE
  • CCPROVSP.EXE
  • CCSETUP210.EXE
  • CCTRAY.EXE
  • CF9409.EXE
  • CFGMNG32.EXE
  • CLAMTRAY.EXE
  • CLAMWIN.EXE
  • CMAIN.EXE
  • CMDAGENT.EXE
  • COMBOFIX.BAT
  • COMBOFIX.COM
  • COMBOFIX.EXE
  • COMBOFIX.SCR
  • COMMAND.COM
  • COMPAQ_PROPIETARIO.EXE
  • CPF.EXE
  • CPORTS.EXE
  • CPROCESS.EXE
  • CUREIT.EXE
  • DAFT.EXE
  • DARKSPY105.EXE
  • DEFWATCH.EXE
  • DELAYDELFILE.EXE
  • DLLCOMPARE.EXE
  • DRWEB32W.EXE
  • DRWEBSCD.EXE
  • DUBATOOL_AV_KILLER.EXE
  • ELISTA.EXE
  • EMLPROUI.EXE
  • EMLPROXY.EXE
  • EULALYZERSETUP.EXE
  • F-PROT.EXE
  • F-PROT95.EXE
  • F-STOPW.EXE
  • FAMEH32.EXE
  • FAST.EXE
  • FCH32.EXE
  • FIH32.EXE
  • FILEALYZ.EXE
  • FILEFIND.EXE
  • FILELOCKSETUP.EXE
  • FILEMONSV.EXE
  • FIXBAGLE.EXE
  • FIXPATH.EXE
  • FNRB32.EXE
  • FOLDERCURE.EXE
  • FP-WIN.EXE
  • FPAVSERVER.EXE
  • FPORT.EXE
  • FPROT.EXE
  • FPROTTRAY.EXE
  • FPWIN.EXE
  • FSAA.EXE
  • FSAUA.EXE
  • FSAV.EXE
  • FSAV32.EXE
  • FSAV530STBYB.EXE
  • FSAV530WTBYB.EXE
  • FSAV95.EXE
  • FSB.EXE
  • FSBL.EXE
  • FSDFWD.EXE
  • FSGK32.EXE
  • FSGK32ST.EXE
  • FSM32.EXE
  • FSMA32.EXE
  • FSMB32.EXE
  • GDFIREWALLTRAY.EXE
  • GDFIRE~1.EXE
  • GDFWSVC.EXE
  • GMER.EXE
  • GUARD.EXE
  • GUARDXKICKOFF.EXE
  • GUARDXSERVICE.EXE
  • HACKMON.EXE
  • HELIOS.EXE
  • HFACSVC.EXE
  • HIJACK-THIS.EXE
  • HIJACKTHIS.EXE
  • HIJACKTHIS_SFX.EXE
  • HIJACKTHIS_V2.EXE
  • HJ.EXE
  • HJTINSTALL.EXE
  • HJTSETUP.EXE
  • HOOKANLZ.EXE
  • HOSTSFILEREADER.EXE
  • HOSTSXPERT.EXE
  • HPCSVC.EXE
  • HSVCMOD.EXE
  • ICESWORD.EXE
  • IEFIX.EXE
  • INICIO.EXE
  • INSTALLWATCHPRO25.EXE
  • ISSDM_EN_32.EXE
  • ITMRTSVC.EXE
  • JAJA.EXE
  • K7EMLPXY.EXE
  • K7FWSRVC.EXE
  • K7PSSRVC.EXE
  • K7RTSCAN.EXE
  • K7SPMSRC.EXE
  • K7SYSTRY.EXE
  • K7TSECURITY.EXE
  • K7TSMNGR.EXE
  • K7TS_SETUP.EXE
  • KAKASETUPV6.EXE
  • KASMAIN.EXE
  • KAV.EXE
  • KAV32.EXE
  • KAVPFW.EXE
  • KAVSTART.EXE
  • KAVSVC.EXE
  • KILLAUTOPLUS.EXE
  • KILLBOX.EXE
  • KISSVC.EXE
  • KPFW32.EXE
  • KPFWSVC.EXE
  • KVMONXP.KXP
  • KVOL.EXE
  • KVSRVXP.EXE
  • KVXP.KXP
  • KWATCH.EXE
  • LISTO.EXE
  • LIVESRV.EXE
  • LORDPE.EXE
  • MAKEREPORT.EXE
  • MBAM-SETUP.EXE
  • MBAM.EXE
  • MCAGENT.EXE
  • MCSHIELD.EXE
  • MCUPDATE.EXE
  • MCVSRTE.EXE
  • MCVSSHLD.EXE
  • MDMCLS32.EXE
  • MKSADMINCONSOLE.EXE
  • MKSFWALL.EXE
  • MKSPC.EXE
  • MKSREGMON.EXE
  • MKSTRAY.EXE
  • MKSUPDATE.EXE
  • MKSVIRMONSVC.EXE
  • MKS_MAIL.EXE
  • MKS_SCAN.EXE
  • MMC.EXE
  • MRT.EXE
  • MRTSTUB.EXE
  • MSASCUI.EXE
  • MSMPENG.EXE
  • MSNCLEANER.EXE
  • MSNFIX.EXE
  • MYPHOTOKILLER.EXE
  • NAVQSCAN.EXE
  • NETALYZ.EXE
  • NETMONSV.EXE
  • NETSTAT.EXE
  • NMAIN.EXE
  • NOD32.EXE
  • NOD32CC.EXE
  • NOD32KRN.EXE
  • NOD32KUI.EXE
  • NOD32M2.EXE
  • NPCGREENAGENT.NPC
  • NSAVSVC.NPC
  • NSPMAIN.EXE
  • NSPSVC.EXE
  • NSPUPDT.EXE
  • NSPUPSVC.EXE
  • NSUTILITY.EXE
  • NSVMON.NPC
  • NTVDM.EXE
  • OBJMONSETUP.EXE
  • OLLYDBG.EXE
  • ONLINENT.EXE
  • ONLNSVC.EXE
  • OP_MON.EXE
  • OTMOVEIT.EXE
  • OTMOVEIT3.EXE
  • P08PROMO.EXE
  • PAVARK.EXE
  • PAVBCKPT.EXE
  • PAVFNSVR.EXE
  • PAVPRSRV.EXE
  • PAVSRV51.EXE
  • PCTAV.EXE
  • PCTAVSVC.EXE
  • PCTSAUXS.EXE
  • PCTSGUI.EXE
  • PCTSSVC.EXE
  • PCTSTRAY.EXE
  • PENCLEAN.EXE
  • PG2.EXE
  • PGSETUP.EXE
  • PORTDETECTIVE.EXE
  • PORTMONITOR.EXE
  • PPCLTPRIV.EXE
  • PROCDUMP.EXE
  • PROCESSMONITOR.EXE
  • PROCEXP.EXE
  • PROCMON.EXE
  • PROJECTWHOISINSTALLER.EXE
  • PSCTRLS.EXE
  • PSHOST.EXE
  • PSIMSVC.EXE
  • PSKILL.EXE
  • PSKMSSVC.EXE
  • PUSCAN.EXE
  • PXAGENT.EXE
  • PXCONSOLE.EXE
  • QHFW332.EXE
  • QOELOADER.EXE
  • QUHLPSVC.EXE
  • RAV.EXE
  • RAVLITE.EXE
  • RAVMOND.EXE
  • RAVP.EXE
  • RAVTASK.EXE
  • REANIMATOR.EXE
  • REG.EXE
  • REGALYZ.EXE
  • REGCOOL.EXE
  • REGEDIT.COM
  • REGEDIT.EXE
  • REGEDIT.SCR
  • REGISTRAR_LITE.EXE
  • REGMON.EXE
  • REGSCANNER.EXE
  • REGSHOT.EXE
  • REGUNLOCKER.EXE
  • REGX2.EXE
  • RKD.EXE
  • ROOTALYZER.EXE
  • ROOTKITBUSTER.EXE
  • ROOTKITNO.EXE
  • ROOTKITREVEALER.EXE
  • ROOTKIT_DETECTIVE.EXE
  • RTVSCAN.EXE
  • SAFEBOOTKEYREPAIR.EXE
  • SAVADMINSERVICE.EXE
  • SAVSERVICE.EXE
  • SBAMSVC.EXE
  • SBAMTRAY.EXE
  • SBAMUI.EXE
  • SCANMSG.EXE
  • SCANWSCS.EXE
  • SCFMANAGER.EXE
  • SCFSERVICE.EXE
  • SCHED.EXE
  • SDFIX.EXE
  • SEEM.EXE
  • SENSOR.EXE
  • SFCTLCOM.EXE
  • SPF.EXE
  • SPIDERML.EXE
  • SPIDERNT.EXE
  • SPIDERUI.EXE
  • SPYBOTSD.EXE
  • SPYBOTSD160.EXE
  • SRENGLDR.EXE
  • SRENGPS.EXE
  • SRESTORE.EXE
  • SRVLOAD.EXE
  • STARTDRECK.EXE
  • STRTSVC.EXE
  • SUPERANTISPYWARE.EXE
  • SUPERKILLER.EXE
  • SVCPRS32.EXE
  • SYSANALYZER_SETUP.EXE
  • TASKKILL.EXE
  • TASKLIST.EXE
  • TASKMAN.EXE
  • TASKMON.EXE
  • TASKSCHEDULER.EXE
  • TCPVIEW.EXE
  • TEATIMER.EXE
  • TISSPWIZ.EXE
  • TMBMSRV.EXE
  • TMPFW.EXE
  • TMPROXY.EXE
  • TNBUTIL.EXE
  • TPSRV.EXE
  • TSCFCOMMANDER.EXE
  • TSNTEVAL.EXE
  • TrendMicro_TISPro_16.1_1063_x32.EXE
  • UFNAVI.EXE
  • UFSEAGNT.EXE
  • UISCAN.EXE
  • ULIBCFG.EXE
  • UMXAGENT.EXE
  • UMXCFG.EXE
  • UMXFWHLP.EXE
  • UMXPOL.EXE
  • UNHACKME.EXE
  • UNIEXTRACT.EXE
  • UNLOCKER1.8.7.EXE
  • UPDATE.EXE
  • UPSCHD.EXE
  • VBA32-PERSONAL-LATEST-ENGLISH.EXE
  • VBA32ADS.EXE
  • VBA32LDR.EXE
  • VIPRE.EXE
  • VIRUS.EXE
  • VIRUSUTILITIES.EXE
  • VRFWSVC.EXE
  • VRMONNT.EXE
  • VRMONSVC.EXE
  • VSMON.EXE
  • VSSERV.EXE
  • WEBPROXY.EXE
  • WINDOWS-KB890930-V2.2.EXE
  • WIRESHARK.EXE
  • WITSETUP.EXE
  • XCOMMSVR.EXE
  • XP_TASKMGRENAB.EXE
  • ZLCLIENT.EXE

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://pppppppppppppppppppp.{BLOCKED}m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://pppppppppppppppppppppppppp.{BLOCKED}m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://pppppppppppp.p.{BLOCKED}m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://pppppppppppp.{BLOCKED}m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://{BLOCKED}tegpppp.r7m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://{BLOCKED}tok2pcomphomepaqupp.r7m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://1p.{BLOCKED}m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://ppppnipponp.{BLOCKED}m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi
  • http://{BLOCKED}p.r7m.us/cgi-bin/p.cgi

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

NOTES:

It is capable of executing the following commands:

  • Connect to an IRC channel
  • Create processes
  • Create thread
  • Download files
  • Kill threads
  • Propagate itself via MSN Messenger
  • Scan ports
  • Scan threads/subthreads
  • Turn off firewall
  • Update itself

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.200
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 8.812.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 28 Feb 2012

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Identify and terminate files detected as WORM_PUSHBOT.IC

[ Learn More ]
  1. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  2. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 3

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

 
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • Microsoft Driver Setup = %Windows%\aadrive32.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Microsoft Driver Setup = %Windows%\aadrive32.exe

Step 4

Restore this modified registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
    • From: EnableFirewall = 0
      To: EnableFirewall = 1

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_PUSHBOT.IC. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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